WTW 164

Unit 2.1: The Fundamental

Theorem of Calculus
Dr HR (Maya) Thackeray
<maya.thackeray@up.ac.za>
Differentiation and integration (WTW 158)
• Differentiation: get the slope of a function’s graph.
Rigorous definition: f’(x) = .
• Integration: get (plus or minus) the area corresponding to a curve.
Rigorous definition: Limit of Riemann sums.
“Differentiation and integration are inverse
processes”
Theorem (Fundamental Theorem of Calculus).
Let f be a continuous function on [a,b].
1. (Integrating, then differentiating)
Define the function g on [a,b] by g(x) = for x in [a,b].
It follows that g is continuous on [a,b], g is differentiable on (a,b),
and for x in (a,b) we have g’(x) = f(x).
2. (Differentiating, then integrating)
Let F be an antiderivative of f (that is, F’ = f).
It follows that = F(b) – F(a).
Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, part 1
g(x) = gives the “area so far”.
The rate at which it changes is f(x).
Examples: FTC 1 (page 1)
• The graph consists of straight line segments and a semicircle.
(a) Find and . (b) What is at x = 2?
Solution. (a) We have = (1/2)(1)(2) = 1, = (1)(2) = 2, and = (1/2)(1)(2) =
1, so = 1 + 2 + 1 = 4.
We have = (–1/2)π(1)2 = –π/2.
(b) By FTC 1, we have = f(2) = 2.
Examples: FTC 1 (page 2)
• Find F’(x) if F(x) = .
Solution. F(x) = = – = – cos x.
• Find g’(x) if g(x) = .
Solution. The function g is a composition of functions: first, x is sent to
u = x4; then, u is sent to . To differentiate, use the Chain Rule:
g’(x) = . (x4) = sec(x4) . 4x3 (using FTC 1).
Examples: FTC 1 (page 3)
• Find the derivative of h, if h(x) = .
Solution. We have
h(x) = + = – + , so
h’(x) = . 3x2 + . cos x.
Examples: FTC 1 (page 4)
• On what interval is the curve y = concave down?
Solution. The curve is concave down where d2y/dx2 < 0
(and it is concave up where d2y/dx2 > 0).
We have dy/dx = x3 – 3x by FTC 1, so d2y/dx2 = 3x2 – 3.
Therefore, d2y/dx2 < 0 if and only if 3x2 – 3 < 0 if and only if
3(x – 1)(x + 1) < 0.
The left side is greater than 0 if x < –1 or x > 1, equal to 0 if x = –1 or x =
1, and less than 0 if –1 < x < 1.
Therefore, the curve is concave down for x in (–1,1).
Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, part 2
Think of f(t) as the velocity of a particle at time t. The antiderivative F(t)
is the displacement (“signed total distance”) of the particle from a fixed
initial time to time t.
“Add velocity times time in small parts to give displacement from t = a
to t = b”: = F(b) – F(a).
Examples: FTC 2 (page 1)
• We have = = e3 – e (because the derivative of ex is ex).

• We have = = ln 6 – ln 3 = ln(6/3) = ln 2 (because the derivative of ln x

is 1/x).
Examples: FTC 2 (page 2)
• Let f(x) = . We have

= + +

= + +

= 0 – (–1) + ( + 1) – ( + 0) + – = + .